E46 330i randomly cuts out.

[viskop 99]

Merry Christmas all, ?

Yesterday (26 Dec 2018) I went from home (Grenada Village) to Johnsonville, then back home to drop something off. When I started the car 2 minutes later to head out to Queensgate, there was a sudden smell of "something burning". I think it was an oil smell.

 

Anyhow, I stopped, checked around the car and it seemed fine, so me and the wife headed to Queensgate. Car drove fine there. We were at Queensgate for about 2 hours then headed from there to Pak'nSave near KFC in High Street. We were there about 10 minutes, and as I turned into High Street again to go visit a buddy, the car just cut out. I managed to start the car again and drove to my buddy's house, and at that time it felt like the car had no power (lagging). My buddy was not home, so we returned to the car to go to Petone, but the car only started on the 3rd attempt. In Petone the car cut out twice while sitting idle at traffic lights. Driving back home on the motorway the car had no power, as if it was struggling to go. Putting my foot down did not do much....but as soon as I lifted my foot slightly off the gas pedal, the car would go like a bullet.

Google does not help much, but I think fuel pump.

Anyone with other/better suggestion/s?

 

Thanks.

Charl

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

Check your dizzy cap (sorry couldn't resist)

Have had similar symptoms on an M54B30 with a faulty MAF.

[viskop 99]

29 minutes ago, Young Thrash Driver said:

Check your dizzy cap (sorry couldn't resist)

Have had similar symptoms on an M54B30 with a faulty MAF.

Thanks. Uhm, I assume a dizzy cap is the distributor cap? What should I check? Sorry, I have never done this before...and youtube is not very helpful when searching for videos that show me how or what. I do know that when I purchased the car in Aug, the MAF was replaced by Winger BMW...

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

36 minutes ago, viskop said:

 I assume a dizzy cap is the distributor cap?

Yes, it is an old internet thing mocking Honda fanbois. An M54 is slightly more technologically advanced than "VTEC yo", and has no distributor.

Get it scanned, that's the trick- by someone who knows their stuff. It may be throwing nonsensical codes that an unknowledgeable scan operator will take as legit.

Edited December 27, 2018 by Young Thrash Driver
coz VTEC is gay

[viskop 99]

5 minutes ago, Young Thrash Driver said:

Yes, it is an old internet thing mocking Honda fanbois. An M54 is slightly more technologically advanced than "VTEC yo", and has no distributor.

Get it scanned, that's the trick- by someone who knows their stuff. It may be throwing nonsensical codes that an unknowledgeable scan operator will take as legit.

Cool, thank you young man. ?

I'll book the car in at Winger BMW ? to have the car scanned and hopefully they don't charge me an arm and a leg...and an eye, or both ?

Would have been nice if a local BMW guru had a scan tool. Anyhow, thanks again.

[KwS 2425]

An easy check is to see if there any any cracks in any visible hoses/pipes, especially the intake pipes after the MAF, going to the inlet manifold.

[viskop 99]

On 12/27/2018 at 8:05 PM, KwS said:

An easy check is to see if there any any cracks in any visible hoses/pipes, especially the intake pipes after the MAF, going to the inlet manifold.

Thanks, that was the first action I took. No cracks. ?

[viskop 99]

So I ended up taking the car to Supercheap in Porirua, they scanned and 2 errors were found:

 

1) P0344 - Camshaft position sensor - Sporadic fault

2) *P0369 - Camshaft position sensor B (bank 1) - Sporadic fault

 

I guess this will be a job for the mechanics at Winger BMW? ?

[325_driver 422]

Don't vanos seals throw these errors?

[viskop 99]

1 hour ago, 325_driver said:

Don't vanos seals throw these errors?

I have no idea. From what I could find on google, it seems the camshaft position sensor will need replacing.

[Eagle 1662]

Sounds inline with the symptoms

[WYZEUP 283]

I had similar problems in my 330 and after rebuilding the vanos it was perfect, because the solenoids cant hold oil pressure it struggles to hold idle, less noticeable in an auto though

[viskop 99]

On 1/11/2019 at 1:49 PM, WYZEUP said:

I had similar problems in my 330 and after rebuilding the vanos it was perfect, because the solenoids cant hold oil pressure it struggles to hold idle, less noticeable in an auto though

Hey Jeremy, how's it going mate? Long long very long time no see. ?

Over the last 2 weeks there was only 1 day where my 330i (auto) lost a little power and only once did not start the first time. Other than that, it is running fine. I have not taken it in to Winger and will see how things play out.